Wind farm approvals ‘too slow’ (From The Northern Echo)

Wind farm approvals ‘too slow’

8:09am Monday 13th July 2009 in

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COUNCIL planning departments should share the blame for the region failing to meet renewable energy targets, it is claimed today.

The British Wind Energy Association (BWEA), the trade and professional group for the UK wind and marine renewable industry, said the region had little chance of achieving a target adopted by the North-East Assembly seven years ago.

It was hoped that, by next year, onshore renewables such as wind farms would provide 454 megawatts (MW) of electricity.

But the BWEA said currently only 175MW had been installed across the region – only 38 per cent of the intended target – and there was little chance of it now being met.

The organisation said the North- East was the second worst performing of nine English regions in progress towards its onshore renewables target.

In Yorkshire, the picture was only slightly better with only 39 per cent (183 MW) of its agreed 468 MW target being installed.

BWEA chief executive Maria Mc- Caffery said: “In common with most other English regions, the progress made in the North-East and Yorkshire is disappointing.”

The BWEA said that 44 per cent of wind farm applications refused permission at a local level across the country were ultimately approved by the Planning Inspectorate – which it said was evidence that local planning authorities were not doing their jobs.

Ms McCaffery added: “The average time it takes for a wind farm to get through local planning is 14 months, yet it’s supposed to take 16 weeks.”

The BWEA said there were currently a number of planning applications for wind farms in the North- East – representing 360MW of capacity – still awaiting a decision from councils.

A spokesperson for the Association of North East Councils, said the North-East was on course to meet renewable targets contained within the region’s planning blueprint, the Regional Spatial Strategy, over a period up to 2021